Learning Cycles render nodes

Support Materials and Textures
#1

Hi all

My next step in my Blender journey is to get a better understanding of Cycles material nodes. I have a lot of experience using Carrara, so do know the basics of creating materials - just need to get a handle on how the nodes are put together.

In my efforts, I’ve downloaded some Blend files from Blendswap and matrep

mats2.jpg1600×900 232 KB

mats3.jpg1600×900 291 KB

- I do know how to append and link materials, but all I get in the nodes editor are straight diffuse and output nodes, when clearly the materials are more complex.

An example is from http://www.blendswap.com/blends/view/4364 kindly posted by andyfrommk. See the attached screencaps - in internal render mode, the examples show up well, but in Cycles, not.

Are these not Cycles material examples, although I found them after searching specifically for Cycles mats?

Even so, how would i go about exacting a single example from the collection to take a look at the nodes?

If they are not examples of Cycles mats, can anyone recommend some mats for me to look at?

#2
#3

Hi ikariShinji :slight_smile: it was the link to that discussion that set me off on my search. Unfortunately, the screencaps shown are too low definition to read, so I went off to Blendswap. Many of the mats there are described as Cycles, but then have the Internal label. Now I know what to look out for, I’ve downloaded a few and they work just great for what I want. Thanks for the response :slight_smile:

Richard …if only! Multiply US$ price by 10, is what I would have to pay, together with a really poor postal service which will guarantee that it never arrives. The joy of living in a “developing nation”. But thanks for the link - next time a friend travels to the States I’ll have him get me a copy:)

#4

Roygee, the BlenderDiplom Cycles Encyclopedia book is available as a download in PDF and ePub formats. I’ve just started going through it, and it’s fairly thorough as far as I’ve gone so far. From what I can tell, it has coverage of just about every node through 2.7x so far.

Also, if you’re a CG Cookie citizen member, the Shader Forge series is really good.

I just finished the Blender Cycles: Materials and Textures Cookbook (3rd Edition) (Available on Kindle). I don’t think it’s as good as the other two, but it’s a fair introduction to Cycles materials. Some of the materials I think are a bit off, particularly on the bump, but if you don’t know much about doing materials, then it’s a good starting point.

#5

Thanks for that info, gradyp - it wasn’t obvious on the site that it was downloadable:)

I’ll get it as soon as I can afford it.